Pop up art exhibition and sale at Bedford MS Therapy Centre - plus free children's activities

If you’re into art, the only place to be on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8, is the Bedford MS Therapy Centre in Barkers Lane.

It’s holding a Pop-Up Art Exhibition and Sale featuring 86 artists with 320 hung pictures, five sculptures and various mounted pieces in browsers and cards as well as ceramics and jewellery. Several artists will be also demonstrating their skills over the weekend and there will be free children’s activities.

The work covers a vast variety of styles and genres from groups including Bedford prisoners, artists living with MS and a display by schoolchildren from five local primary schools. This will feature a competition which will be judged by one of the artists.

Many have donated their work, and a third of the sale price will go to the Therapy Centre.

Chair of Trustees Kay Taylor thanked everyone taking part, including the volunteers involved in setting up the exhibition and sponsors, and said: “Our sale in 2022 raised the huge sum of £9,600, and we are very grateful to all of the artists who exhibited and to everyone who bought art. Works in the exhibition represent a wide range of media, photographs, prints, greetings cards, ceramics, jewellery, sculptures and illustrated books.”

And she added: “Be sure to look and learn from our demonstrating artists working on their pieces throughout the weekend.”

Well-known artist such as Sarah Wheatley, Karen Mangold and John Devitt will be showing off their skills. Others in attendance will be Michael Wilson with his small stone sculptures, Jenny Barnes who specialises in small acrylic fish artworks, Catherine Golds who hand-crafts silver jewellery, Rebecca Sagoo with her nature-inspired ceramics, Linda Richardson and her handmade keepsake cards and Desiree Bashi who Illustrates books.

Tracey Ebbs attends the centre for physio to help maintain her mobility. She joined an adult education beginners’ class in watercolours just to keep her mum company. Now she’s hooked. She likes painting animals and the wildlife of South Africa – where she once lived – and finds it helps mobilise her fingers and keep her hands moving.

She said: “I’m delighted to be able to exhibit here and support this wonderful charity.”

Nicola Heather also has MS and will be one of the artists demonstrating their work. She studied A level art and went to Camberwell Art College, but decided to become a nurse. Then back problems forced her to leave the profession and she returned to university to study chemistry. This led to a high-powered role as director of a pharmaceutical company but after being diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, she took the difficult decision to retire.

She said: “Initially I didn’t believe my art was any good until I started selling things at craft fairs. Now it gives me a sense of purpose and really helps with my mental health.”

The centre relies on fundraising events like this to provide a significant part of their income.

Therapies at the MS Therapy Centre help people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions to manage their illness and achieve a better quality of life.